DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Students for a Democratic Society, Herrnstein lecture, February-June, 1972 | 1972-03-04 Des Moines Register Article: 'Speech Protest Brings Ban'

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Students for a Democratic Society, Herrnstein lecture, February-June, 1972

1972-03-04 Des Moines Register Article: 'Speech Protest Brings Ban'

Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 4, 1972 - Two Sections
DMR
SPEECH PROTEST BRINGS BAN 

U OF I CALLS STUDENT UNIT AND SDS FRONT
After Professor's Talk Is Blocked
By Larry Eckholt 
(Register Staff Writter)
IOWA CITY, IA. - The University of Iowa (U of I) group which sponsored a protest against a visiting Harvard professor in Iowa City last week has been stripped of its status as a bona fide student organization by university officials. 
In doing so, the U of I has labeled the Worker-Student Alliance (WSA) group as a front for Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), an organization which had its university recognition lifted last year. 

Same Sanction
The university has imposed the same sanction of non recognition to WSA that SDS is under. The sanctions against both groups expire Apr. 7, according to Howard N. Sokol, assistant to the U of I provost. 
In a letter to the WSA group Sokol wrote:
"Sufficient handbills and evidence of verbal statements equating SDS and WSA have been presented to this office to warrant that application to WSA of the sanction of nonrecognition applicable to SDS."
WSA sponsored numerous events on campus last week to coincide with the scheduled lecture by a controversial Harvard psychology professor, Richard J, Herrnstein. The local WSA group and the national SDS leadership have branded Herrnstein a racist on the basis of an article he wrote for Atlantic Monthly magazine dealing with human intelligence. 
Herrnstein refused to deliver his lecture because he thought a hostile portion of the audience would not allow him to speak on his scheduled topic about pegeon behavior.
Denied Facilities
By lifting recognition as a student organization, the university denies WSA access to facilities offered to other student groups.
"The Iowa Memorial Union staff has been notified that table space will not be provided to WSA, SDS or other groups who attempt to pass out SDS literature during the non recognition period, " Sokol stated.
WSA appeared as a campus group shortly after SDS status was lifted last spring.

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Des Moines, Iowa, Saturday Morning, March 4, 1972 - Two Sections DMR SPEECH PROTEST BRINGS BAN U OF I CALLS STUDENT UNIT AND SDS FRONT After Professor's Talk Is Blocked By Larry Eckholt (Register Staff Writter) IOWA CITY, IA. - The University of Iowa (U of I) group which sponsored a protest against a visiting Harvard professor in Iowa City last week has been stripped of its status as a bona fide student organization by university officials. In doing so, the U of I has labeled the Worker-Student Alliance (WSA) group as a front for Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), an organization which had its university recognition lifted last year. Same Sanction The university has imposed the same sanction of non recognition to WSA that SDS is under. The sanctions against both groups expire Apr. 7, according to Howard N. Sokol, assistant to the U of I provost. In a letter to the WSA group Sokol wrote: "Sufficient handbills and evidence of verbal statements equating SDS and WSA have been presented to this office to warrant that application to WSA of the sanction of nonrecognition applicable to SDS." WSA sponsored numerous events on campus last week to coincide with the scheduled lecture by a controversial Harvard psychology professor, Richard J, Herrnstein. The local WSA group and the national SDS leadership have branded Herrnstein a racist on the basis of an article he wrote for Atlantic Monthly magazine dealing with human intelligence. Herrnstein refused to deliver his lecture because he thought a hostile portion of the audience would not allow him to speak on his scheduled topic about pegeon behavior. Denied Facilities By lifting recognition as a student organization, the university denies WSA access to facilities offered to other student groups. "The Iowa Memorial Union staff has been notified that table space will not be provided to WSA, SDS or other groups who attempt to pass out SDS literature during the non recognition period, " Sokol stated. WSA appeared as a campus group shortly after SDS status was lifted last spring.